The third confirmation stage for the Haras de Bouquetot-Critérium de la Vente de Yearlings d’Octobre closed yesterday, May 31, and 210 two-year-old colts, fillies and geldings have been confirmed. This race is restricted to horses that were offered at the 2016 October Yearling Sale and duly qualified by their connections through the first three phases. It will be run over 1,600 metres, Saturday 30 September at Chantilly, as a curtain-raiser for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend.

The number of horses confirmed at this stage is higher than had been estimated, thus enabling ARQANA to raise the guaranteed prizemoney for the race to €274,000 instead of the initially announced €250,000.

Such a total purse is higher than many Group 1 races and is yet to be topped up by the amount of the final entries in the race, which will be taken on September 22 at a cost of €500 per horse. A maximum of 16 runners will be accepted in the race and in the event of a ballot, the last payment (i.e. €500 per horse) will be returned to the owner.

Breeders are not left behind with the race sponsor Haras de Bouquetot presenting:

the breeder of the winner with a nomination to champion juvenile SHALAA, the highest-priced first season sire in Europe at €27,500 and whose first book notably included the unique Treve;

the breeder of the second home with a nomination to OLYMPIC GLORY, who covered at a fee of €15,000 in 2017 and whose first yearlings will be at the yearling sales later this year;

and the breeder of the third home with a nomination to STYLE VENDOME, who stood at a fee of €7,000 in 2017 and has already sired three two-year-old winners from his first crop.

ARQANA President Eric Hoyeau commented on the outcome of the third qualification stage: « The concept of the October Yearling Sale Criterium has been truly embraced by owners and trainers alike, both in France and across Europe. The number of qualified horses has even exceeded our expectations and we are thrilled to be able to raise the guaranteed prize money on offer. My deepest thanks go to all who have supported the initiative, which was conceived as an extra incentive to buy and race horses in France. We look forward to the day of the race, when we will host a function for all breeders, owners and trainers who qualified a horse for the Criterium.”.

Detailed conditions of the race are available on France Galop’s website.